Hail to the Chief
by 8belles
Summary: SPOILER WARNING- Marvel just dropped a photo from the set of Season 2! a NEW CHIEF. So... I wrote a short fic about that announcement. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled! Reviews Welcome as always.


Hail to the Chief

The diner was soundless as Sousa and Peggy sat at a table concealed by a frosted glass screen. Angie let them in after the place closed so they could have a quiet place to chat without prying eyes that may suggest something _else_ was occurring. The coffee steamed in Daniel's mug as Peggy sipped her Earl Grey tea. Watching her drink, Daniel smiled unconsciously, drumming his fingers on the table.

Peggy set her cup down with a raised eyebrow, "What are you thinking, Agent Sousa?"

"I'm thinking how did I get so lucky to land a job like this one." he replied.

"Of course. And are you thinking about when you're going to be promoted?" she queried.

"If they made me chief, I'd say no." Sousa replied firmly, stopping his finger drumming as if she had interrupted his daydream.

"Why? You'd make an excellent chief." Peggy leaned back in her seat.

"Because then I couldn't work with you." Daniel said earnestly, brown eyes completely honest.

Peggy smiled at the compliment fingering her cup, "Daniel, I am flattered. But I was serious when I said you'd make a great chief. You have heart."

"But that will never happen." Sousa reaffirmed, smiling easily like the kid who never gets picked first on a team, "Jack is a shoe-in. He's a natural blowhard with the strut to back it up."

Peggy's brows came back together and she said decisively, "That's the problem. We don't need strut. We need a leader."

Daniel swallowed uneasily, fidgeting slightly in the booth. He knew she was right.

* * *

The bullpen was silent as the men and Peggy stood at attention. It was time for the announcement. The new name announcement was coming for the SSR and so was the name of the new Director. No one dared move, rustle a paper or reach for their burning cigarette at their desks. Senator Wallace stood proudly at the forefront of the giant office space, the American flag stretched proudly behind him on the wall. A large round object sat upon an easel covered in a black drape. He smiled widely at everyone, like the politician he was, as Jack Thompson stood eagerly to his left and Daniel Sousa leaned upon his desk to the right. Peggy was behind Daniel where she had been discussing the latest evidence from a case they were working together.

"This is the moment you've all been waiting for, I'm sure." Senator Wallace began, "It's been a rough year for the SSR. Through your diligence, hard work and perseverance, the SSR apprehended a Russian spy, shut down a HYDRA facility overseas and cleared Howard Stark's name." Wallace smiled again widely, hands splayed out in front of him as if he were campaigning and the podium was missing to wrap his fingers around. Every eye was still trained upon him. Savoring every moment, he wondered what new committee in Congress he'd be appointed to because of the SSR's success. Jack preened like a peacock in his green suit. Carter silently recalled there was a blonde assassin still on the loose that the SSR _hadn't_ caught.

"Sadly, we lost a good man. Chief Roger Dooley was a man who served his country with honor and bravery. Also, let us not forget Ray Krysminski. A courageous man. A good agent." Wallace dropped his eyes to the floor as a heaviness weighed upon the room. Peggy remembered the day after Krysminski was gunned down, now knowing it was Dottie who did the hit. Her gut burned with the desire to find Underwood and get justice for Ray. The image of Roger hurling himself out the window wearing Stark's bomb vest burst into her mind and she blinked rapidly to erase it to little effect. Roger deserved so much better.

After the appropriate amount of time, Senator Wallace looked up to the assembled agents again smiling his trademark pearly whites for the cameras. Archival photographers lined up on the floor to get the perfect angle. "As Captain America defeated the Red Skull, it became clear that we have unknown powers and potential in the universe. Therefore, the SSR is getting a new name to suit its new purpose. No longer are you a branch of the military, but your own unique force burdened with the task of investigating and learning about all new types of technology, energy and sources of power. You will be the leaders in defending America, and the world, from any an all of those new threats. You are now S.H.I.E.L.D. – Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistic Division." Wallace pulled the black curtain from the round wall plaque of a stylized eagle in silhouette and the words ringing the outer rim. The room paused to absorb the speech and admire the plaque before carefully applauding. The flashes of cameras punctuated the applause like lightening.

Sousa leaned over and whispered to Peggy, "I think they just wanted an acronym that spelled S.H.I.E.L.D."

Carter tried very hard to repress a snort.

Wallace waved to to calm the applause and stop the flashes from the camera bulbs that began to blind him, "But to lead this new organization, we need a visionary. A director to guide us into the next half of this century with diligence and an appetite for nothing less than the best from his agents." Peggy frowned slightly at the pronoun. Sousa reached over briefly, without glancing at her, touching her hand, which made her stop. Jack's eyes were alight with anticipation as if he were a child at Christmas and Santa was about to give him the best gift of all time.

Working his voice up to a coach's pep-talk level, he continued, "This new leader has to have experience in combat, steely resolve in the face of danger and the brains to think his way out of the wily traps set by the enemy." Thompson almost vibrated with excitement. Peggy sighed softly in resignation; it was expected that Jack get the spot after the accolades he received at her expense. But it didn't really matter. In the end, she was about the mission, not the leadership. This past year reminded her very painfully of that fact.

"With no further adieu, I give you your new Chief … Daniel Sousa."

Cameras flashed catching Daniel's face mid-expression of disbelief and utter shock. Peggy steadied him from behind as he almost slid off his spot on his desk top, a genuine smile of happiness on her lips. Jack's mouth cracked open as if he were about to make a dissenting commentary, eyes wide in amazement.

The room erupted in applause and cheers because all the men in the room, and Peggy, new the value of their new Chief.

The SSR… no S.H.I.E.L.D. now had a heart.


End file.
